Pitino Shuts Down Questions on Providence Fight

St. John's coach refuses to discuss altercation during Big East win over Providence

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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St. John's head coach Rick Pitino chastised a reporter who tried to ask a player about the massive fight that broke out during the Red Storm's Big East win over Providence. Pitino said the league will address any potential punishments and that he only wanted to discuss the basketball aspects of the game, in which St. John's prevailed 79-69 despite the brawl.

Why it matters

The fight between the two Big East rivals has raised questions about potential suspensions and the league's response, as well as broader concerns about sportsmanship and player conduct in college basketball.

The details

The fight occurred in the second half after a hard foul by Providence's Duncan Powell on St. John's Bryce Hopkins during a layup attempt. That led to an altercation between the players, with teammates from both sides getting involved. Several players were ejected, including Powell and multiple St. John's players. After a 19-minute delay, the game resumed, with St. John's ultimately winning 79-69.

  • The fight broke out in the second half of the game on Saturday, February 15, 2026.
  • The game was delayed for 19 minutes following the altercation.

The players

Rick Pitino

The head coach of the St. John's Red Storm basketball team.

Duncan Powell

A Providence Friars player who committed the hard foul that sparked the fight.

Bryce Hopkins

A St. John's Red Storm player who was fouled by Powell, leading to the altercation.

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What they’re saying

“You're not supposed to come off the bench, but you can't let your players get beat up. You can't fight. Back when I was the Kentucky coach, we fought almost every SEC game, and it was not a big deal. But you can't fight anymore, so toughness has to come between the lines.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach, St. John's Red Storm (Newsweek)

“We talked toughness, not turning the ball over, creating steals, getting offensive rebounds. That's what we believe toughness is, and that's all we talked about the entire time.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach, St. John's Red Storm (Newsweek)

“We're not going to address that; let the league address it. If you want to talk basketball, talk basketball. You write what you saw. Don't ask my players that.”

— Rick Pitino, Head Coach, St. John's Red Storm (Newsweek)

What’s next

It's believed that at the very least, Providence's Duncan Powell will receive a one-game suspension for his rough foul on Hopkins and involvement in the brawl. The fight footage shows Powell trying to strike a Providence player with his forearm and elbow, but the player ducked the attempted hit. It's unclear whether any other players besides Powell will receive punishments for their roles in the altercation.

The takeaway

The fight between St. John's and Providence has raised concerns about sportsmanship and player conduct in college basketball, with the Big East likely to hand down suspensions for the incident. The game's outcome also impacts the teams' NCAA Tournament hopes, as St. John's remains projected as a No. 5 seed.